Producers ask Cane Farmers’ Association to hold off on changes to agreement

The Corozal Sugar Cane Producers’ Union and Progressive Cane Farmers Association based in Orange Walk have agreed with Belize Sugar Industries and American Sugar Refining to continue with the commercial agreement originally signed three years ago. But the co-architects of that arrangement, the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, wants some re-negotiation of major points including purchase of bagasse and ownership of cane plots. Considering that the last time there was disagreement, the crop did not start on time and everyone was hurt by the result, B.S.I. is issuing an early warning that more of the same will not be tolerated. B.S.I./A.S.R.’s Mac Maclachlan told News Five today that keeping the current agreement and supporting the new investment is a win-win for all concerned.

Mac Maclachlan, Vice-President, International Relations, BSI/ASR

Mac Maclachlan

“In order to go ahead with an investment of this magnitude, we really need to be able to secure the cane supply for that agreement for its duration, which would be through the next four years. BSCFA, just to be clear, have not said no to that; but they have put out some ideas, some counter-proposals, that maybe we should re-open the bagasse issue; maybe we should look again at some of the technical aspects of ownership of cane and a number of other things that, as you know, have been difficult for the industry in recent years and for two years in particular led to interruption of the crop. Frankly, we can’t afford to move into a period now where we are going to have further disruptions to the crop on issues that were settled as recently as two and a half years ago. I think it is everybody’s interest at this time that we move forward with a contract that works, that is in everyone’s interest. We are not suggesting changing in any way the revenue elements of the contract – we continue to pay the share of bagasse that we pay now; in fact we cemented that in the deal for the next four years; but what we don’t want to do is to end up with uncertainties coming toward us again as we start looking at making this investment.”

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1 Response for “Producers ask Cane Farmers’ Association to hold off on changes to agreement”

Mac Maclachlan comes out public and paint things as if though everything is ok with their current proposal to the cane farmers. He is not telling the truth of the matter. It would be good if we have memembers of the BCFA and Mac Maclachlan on a tv show both at the same time and lets hear what both have to say.